Do Not Waver Between Two Opinions

In The Word

Read: 1 Kings 17 – 18

Elijah Predicts Drought

17 Now Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.”2 The word of the Lord came to him, saying,3 “Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.4 It shall be that you will drink of the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to provide for you there.”5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and lived by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan.6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he would drink from the brook.7 It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

8 Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying,9 “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there; behold, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”10 So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks; and he called to her and said, “Please get me a little water in a jar, that I may drink.”11 As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a piece of bread in your hand.”12 But she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I have no bread, only a handful of flour in the bowl and a little oil in the jar; and behold, I am gathering a few sticks that I may go in and prepare for me and my son, that we may eat it and die.”13 Then Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go, do as you have said, but make me a little bread cake from it first and bring it out to me, and afterward you may make one for yourself and for your son.14 For thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘The bowl of flour shall not be exhausted, nor shall the jar of oil be empty, until the day that the Lord sends rain on the face of the earth.’”15 So she went and did according to the word of Elijah, and she and he and her household ate for many days.16 The bowl of flour was not exhausted nor did the jar of oil become empty, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke through Elijah.

Elijah Raises the Widow’s Son

17 Now it came about after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became sick; and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him.18 So she said to Elijah, “What do I have to do with you, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my iniquity to remembrance and to put my son to death!”19 He said to her, “Give me your son.” Then he took him from her bosom and carried him up to the upper room where he was living, and laid him on his own bed.20 He called to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, have You also brought calamity to the widow with whom I am staying, by causing her son to die?”21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and called to the Lord and said, “O Lord my God, I pray You, let this child’s life return to him.”22 The Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the life of the child returned to him and he revived.23 Elijah took the child and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, “See, your son is alive.”24 Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is truth.”

Obadiah Meets Elijah

18 Now it happened after many days that the word of the Lord came to Elijah in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the face of the earth.”2 So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.3 Ahab called Obadiah who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly;4 for when Jezebel destroyed the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water.)5 Then Ahab said to Obadiah, “Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the valleys; perhaps we will find grass and keep the horses and mules alive, and not have to kill some of the cattle.”6 So they divided the land between them to survey it; Ahab went one way by himself and Obadiah went another way by himself.

7 Now as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is this you, Elijah my master?”8 He said to him, “It is I. Go, say to your master, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’”9 He said, “What sin have I committed, that you are giving your servant into the hand of Ahab to put me to death?10 As the Lord your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my master has not sent to search for you; and when they said, ‘He is not here,’ he made the kingdom or nation swear that they could not find you.11 And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here.”’12 It will come about when I leave you that the Spirit of the Lord will carry you where I do not know; so when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have feared the Lord from my youth.13 Has it not been told to my master what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the Lord, that I hid a hundred prophets of the Lord by fifties in a cave, and provided them with bread and water?14 And now you are saying, ‘Go, say to your master, “Behold, Elijah is here”’; he will then kill me.”15 Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”16 So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

17 When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is this you, you troubler of Israel?”18 He said, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, because you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and you have followed the Baals.19 Now then send and gather to me all Israel at Mount Carmel, together with 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”

God or Baal on Mount Carmel

20 So Ahab sent a message among all the sons of Israel and brought the prophets together at Mount Carmel.21 Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people did not answer him a word.22 Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.23 Now let them give us two oxen; and let them choose one ox for themselves and cut it up, and place it on the wood, but put no fire under it; and I will prepare the other ox and lay it on the wood, and I will not put a fire under it.24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, He is God.” And all the people said, “That is a good idea.”

25 So Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one ox for yourselves and prepare it first for you are many, and call on the name of your god, but put no fire under it.”26 Then they took the ox which was given them and they prepared it and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon saying, “O Baal, answer us.” But there was no voice and no one answered. And they leaped about the altar which they made.27 It came about at noon, that Elijah mocked them and said, “Call out with a loud voice, for he is a god; either he is occupied or gone aside, or is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and needs to be awakened.”28 So they cried with a loud voice and cut themselves according to their custom with swords and lances until the blood gushed out on them.29 When midday was past, they raved until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice; but there was no voice, no one answered, and no one paid attention.

30 Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” So all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord which had been torn down.31 Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord had come, saying, “Israel shall be your name.”32 So with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he made a trench around the altar, large enough to hold two measures of seed.33 Then he arranged the wood and cut the ox in pieces and laid it on the wood.34 And he said, “Fill four pitchers with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time,” and they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time,” and they did it a third time.35 The water flowed around the altar and he also filled the trench with water.

Elijah’s Prayer

36 At the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, today let it be known that You are God in Israel and that I am Your servant and I have done all these things at Your word.37 Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that You, O Lord, are God, and that You have turned their heart back again.”38 Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.39 When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces; and they said, “The Lord, He is God; the Lord, He is God.”40 Then Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.” So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

41 Now Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of the roar of a heavy shower.”42 So Ahab went up to eat and drink. But Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he crouched down on the earth and put his face between his knees.43 He said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked and said, “There is nothing.” And he said, “Go back” seven times.44 It came about at the seventh time, that he said, “Behold, a cloud as small as a man’s hand is coming up from the sea.” And he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot and go down, so that the heavy shower does not stop you.’”45 In a little while the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy shower. And Ahab rode and went to Jezreel.46 Then the hand of the Lord was on Elijah, and he girded up his loins and outran Ahab to Jezreel.

Ahab was a wicked king who led Israel into a time of suffering. The sad thing was that King Ahab thought it was the prophet Elijah that caused the trouble to come on Israel. Elijah let him know that the reason it had not rained for three years and six months was because of the king’s failure to obey God and his choice to follow Baal. This became a national disaster.

However, God knows how to take care of His own. He supernaturally provides for Elijah through ravens and then through a poor widow. The key to Elijah’s survival was his continual choice to hear and obey what God told him. God also protected him from King Ahab’s attempts to find and destroy him. Notice, God even had the very devout Obadiah on His side; although he was working for King Ahab, he wholly served King Yahweh (God). This man was used to protect and provide for many other prophets who were in danger.

At the proper time, God instructed Elijah to come out of hiding and challenge the people to stop wavering between two opinions: either follow God or worship Baal. After God showed up, the people killed 450 prophets of Baal. This caused the drought to be broken as the Lord brought rain at Elijah’s request.

Failure to obey God can bring trouble in our lives, but obedience to God can bring supernatural protection and provision, even though sometimes others are being troubled. God’s people should never waver between two opinions to either serve God or the world. Choose to serve God and follow Him no matter what the climate of the world.